Workshop focuses on calculating emissions

Published 1:19 pm, Sunday, February 23, 2014

Midland Independent School District received $53.2 million in oil and gas tax levies in the 2014 fiscal year

Midland Independent School District received $53.2 million in oil and gas tax levies in the 2014 fiscal year

Photo: Mikhail Kokhanchikov

Workshop focuses on calculating emissions

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Emissions regulations, at both the federal and state levels, are expected to increasingly challenge the energy industry.

Calculating emissions to comply with regulations from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will be the topic of a one-day workshop beginning 8 a.m. Monday at Midland College’s Petroleum Professional Development Center, 105 W. Illinois Ave.

Peter Galusky of Monument, Colo., principal in Texerra Inc., will present the class. He said that while in the past he has focused on the regulatory aspects, this presentation is “a beginner’s course for beginners.”

“ We will go slow, spending most of our time, probably six of the eight hours, on the TCEQ calculator and the remainder on the EPA’s greenhouse gas calculator,” Galusky said in an email.

“It all comes down to understanding the processes, the fluid compositions and the math. The challenge of the environmental compliance engineer is to distill the complex issues into simple, manageable components. A related issue concerns how to deal with imperfect and incomplete data for emission calculations and projections.

“Doing all of this well is like doing your taxes well. Everyone starts with no experience. It is important, though, to have experienced hands mentor such persons so that they understand what they are doing,” Galusky said.

“Again, like taxes, the best accounting firms make sure that their junior staff are well-mentored and assisted. It is the same with environmental compliance.”

Attendees are encouraged to bring laptops running Microsoft Windows and Excel for Windows. Thumb drives with the current versions of the calculators will be provided to each student.

More information and registration is available at the PPDC website at www.midland.edu/ppdc or by calling 683-2832.